|
|
Post by shaydeesnail on Sept 9, 2012 19:39:50 GMT
Hello, I'm having a bit of a mite problem in some of my tanks at the moment, I think this is likely to be because I used wild moss, lots of snails live in this moss so it's likely there were mites in there too. I am going to get some Hypoaspis miles so I can make sure all the tanks get completely cleared out of the little white buggers! There is, however, another mite I've been seeing. It is larger than the slug mite and slightly red-ish. I've been trying to find ANY information but I'm having trouble. The mite looks a lot like Poecilochirus sp. The beetle mite, It's possible that they came in on the moss, but can they harm my snails? Will the Hypoaspis be able to take them out or will the mites stop the Hypoaspis doing there job? Here are some pictures:    |
|
|
|
Post by brunni on Sept 9, 2012 20:02:37 GMT
Hi shaydee ! Is it just me ? Can't open the (image)  |
|
|
|
Post by shaydeesnail on Sept 9, 2012 21:07:42 GMT
Helloo  Strange, it's showing up on mine. Here's a link to the picture: www.redwormcomposting.com/images/parasitic-mites-beetle.jpgIf you search "Beetle mite" in google images, you'll see lots of pictures of the same thing. I'm not 100% that this is definitely the same, but they do look the same. |
|
|
|
Post by shaydeesnail on Oct 23, 2012 22:57:27 GMT
I've managed to get some photos of the mites. I hope someone can identify them!
|
|
|
|
Post by pinkunicorn on Oct 24, 2012 9:22:12 GMT
I saw a similar, two in fact, in my slug egg box the other day. Been having problems with two other kinds of tiny bugs as well, they come back despite baking the soil and accessories. I also found just last night what I think were nematodes, in my Deroceras tank, hrrgggh. Never had problems with anything but fruit flies before.
Dunno yet what to do with the red mites. I'm going to try cleaning the box, which is not going to be funny. Jelly eggs, no make that tiny jelly eggs, and several just hatched transparent slug babies is a handling nightmare. I wanted to leave it alone until the babies have grown somewhat but the bugs can't be nice housemates.
|
|
|
|
Post by shaydeesnail on Oct 24, 2012 21:15:01 GMT
I've done a bit of research and I am quite certain that these are a type of beetle mite, a Poecilochirus species.
It turns out that these are not actually parasites, they eat fly eggs and larva. Apparently they climb onto beetles that eat carrion, hitch a lift to a corpse, eat the fly eggs before boarding another beetle.
I presume that they have been feeding on fruit fly eggs. I haven't actually seen any fruit fly maggots, only a few flies. They must be eating something, though!
I've noticed this "hitching a ride" behaviour in the tank woodlice. They leave the smaller snails alone but they like to congregate on the larger snail's backs and chill out at the top of the tank with them, then come down on the snails shell when the snail comes to eat. I don't think they're harming the snails at all, but I do wonder how the snails feel about it.
|
|
